Improvement in shovel-handle



dnted Sietse JoHN L. SHAW, or en ANn RARIDS, MICHIGAN.

Letters Patent N 99,247, dated J amro/ry 25, 1'870.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHOVEL-HANDLE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters P'atent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J onN L. SHAW, of the city of Grand Rapids, county of Kent, and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful tool or imple'- nient, which I call a Combined Shovel-Handle and 'ramping-Bar; and do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, reference beingr had. to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, and the same are made a part of these specifications.

Figure 1 represents a general view of my invention, in perspective, when constructed, ready for use.

Figure 2 represent-s a metallic cylinder, provided with semi-cylindrical projections, and is designed to be used as a hand-piece of a shovel-handle or as the lower end of a tamping-bar, Whenever the shovel-handle, to which it is attached, is used for this latter purpose.

To enable others who are skilled in the branch of mechanics to which the manufacture of my invention belongs, to make the same, I will proceed to describe its construction.

It consists ot' an ordinary wooden shovel-handle,'

with its upper end scalloped or cut out so as to leave a convenient hold for the hand while using the shovel, but instead of making the hand-piece of the same piece of wood as the rest ofthe handle, this part is entirely cut away, leaving only lthe side-pieces or forks represented by F F in iig. l..

lhe hand-piece, as shown by C, in iig. 2, is composed of a cylinder of iron or other suitable ine-tal, provided with semi-cylindrical projections, one on each.

end, as shown hy letters P P, in iig. 2.

The cylinder is filled with wood or other suitable substance, in order that the bolt or rivet which attaches it to the handle ofthe shovel, may hold itrmly in its place.

The forks or sides of the handle shown in iig. 1, by the letter, F F, are rounded at their upper ends, so as to t closely into the semi-cylindrical projections above described, while the shorter ends ot' the cylindricaln hand-piece tit closely between the sides of the handle F F, as shown in tig. 1.

A strong bolt or rivet is passed through the forks or sides of the handle, and through the cylindrical hand-piece ofthe handle, and trml y headed down upon each end.

This cylindrical hand-piece is equally well adapted to shovel-handles sawed or split open at the upper end and bent into substantially the same shape as Athe parts represented in tig. 1, by the letters F Fas above described.

Instead ot' making the hand-piece C cylindrical in fonn, as above described, it may be made ot' one solid piece of metal, with semi-cylimlrical projections, similar to those above described, and attached by means of a bolt or rivet to the handle of the shovel, or by any other suitable attachment; but I deem the cylindrical hand-piece the cheapest and lightest, and equally strong and durable.

The advantage of my invention consists, principally, in its great strength and durability and in its adaptability to the work of packing earth or dirt in close proximityA to solid substances, as is oftenrequired in the construction of railroad-beds, post-setting, 85e., thus formingY a combined shovel-handle and tampingbar, enabling the operator in many cases to perform his work with one tool or implement instead of two.

What I claim to have inveuted,.and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States, is

A combined sl'rovel-,handle and camping-bar, constructed by attaching to an ordinary wooden shovelhandle the metallic hand-piece or cylinder (l, when constructed and operating substantially as above set forth.

In witness that I claim the above, I have hereunto fsa my hand, ons sul day ofJuiy, A. D. 1869.

JOHN L. SHAW. 

